We initially reported in January that Tessa Thompson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are set to act in the sci-fi thriller ash, which Grammy-winning director Flying Lotus, also known as Steven Ellison, will helm as his second feature picture. Since then, Neil Blomkamp (of district 9) has joined the project as producer, and its funder XYZ Pictures will represent it for international distribution at the forthcoming Toronto Film Festival.
When attending TIFF, you have the opportunity to network with important buyers for ashFlying Lotus will perform in support of its festival-exclusive segment V/H/S/99.
In the new movie, which the multi-hyphenate will also score, we see a lady (Thompson) awaken on a far-off planet to find She must determine if she can trust the man (Gordon-Levitt) sent to rescue her after discovering the horrifying murder of the crew of her space station. He starts to question how innocent she truly is though when her attempt to find out what occurred kicks off a horrific series of events.
The movie’s original screenplay, written by Jonni Remmler, is scheduled to begin filming in New Zealand early the following year. It is Flying Lotus’ follow-up to the body horror anthology Kuso, which had its Sundance premiere. Production will be handled by XYZ Films and GFC Films, with executive production by Blomkamp and Echo Lake Entertainment. Ash comes after XYZ and GFC’s work on Toa Fraser’s New Zealand Oscar entry The Dead Lands, which James Cameron first released in the States, and Toa’s second action trailler 6 days starring Jamie Bell, Mark Strong and Abbie Cornish, which debuted worldwide on Netflix in 2017.
“It’s an absolute dream to work with some of the most talented actors out there!” said Flying Lotus.
